Scotland's prison population reaches record high

Scotland’s prison population has reached its highest ever level, with more people behind bars now than at any time on record.

The number of individuals in custody has been rising steadily for months and hit 8,430 on Tuesday, surpassing the previous record of 8,420 set in 2012.

Although the total fluctuates daily, it remained consistently above 8,400 throughout the week. More than 120 people serving custodial sentences are currently being managed in the community under Home Detention Curfews.

Scotland’s prisons were designed to hold 7,805 inmates, meaning they are now accommodating more than 600 additional people.

That is enough to fill another prison the size of HMP & YOI Grampian or HMP Shotts.

A key factor in the increase is the growing number of people serving long-term sentences of four years or more. That population has risen to 4,012 – over 600 more than two years ago – while the short-term population has fallen by around 130 in the same period.

The rise comes after a period of Emergency Early Release last summer and the introduction of the Prisoners (Early Release) Scotland Act 2025, which reduced the release point for eligible short-term prisoners from 50% to 40% of their sentence.

While the change provided temporary relief, the overall population has continued to climb sharply.

The number of people held on remand also remains high at around 2,180 – about 26% of all those in custody – and has not returned to pre-pandemic levels.

The Scottish Government has proposed a new period of Emergency Early Release for some eligible short-term prisoners, which will be debated and voted on by MSPs.

Teresa Medhurst, chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service, said: “Our staff have been managing an extremely complex and far too high population for almost two years. Their skill, dedication, and professionalism in the face of this challenge has been outstanding.

“However, we have now reached a new record high – an unfortunate landmark which none of us wanted to see.

“The level of overcrowding in our establishments was already restricting our staff’s ability to build relationships, support rehabilitation, reduce reoffending, and help to build safer communities across Scotland.

“Now it is reaching a level that raises very serious concerns around our ability to keep people safe and secure.

“I am grateful for the cabinet secretary for justice and home affairs’ leadership in this area and it is clear that further action is needed to support all those living and working in Scotland’s prisons at this time.”

Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Liam Kerry said: “It will surprise no one that Scotland’s jail population has hit record highs, given the SNP’s abject failures over almost two decades in charge of the justice system.

“As well as failing to come up with a long-term strategy to tackle offending, the Nationalists are years late in delivering the new prisons promised in Glasgow and the Highlands.

“Their only ‘solution’ to overcrowding is the reckless early release of dangerous criminals, which has made our streets less safe and seen many of the same offenders washing straight back up in jail after reoffending.

“We warned ministers from the start that the early-release programme was a desperate, sticking-plaster idea that was doomed to fail, yet they plan several more rounds of it in the coming months as Scotland’s prisons burst at the seams.

“The crisis in our prisons is entirely of the SNP’s own making. It’s essential they increase prison capacity as soon as possible.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We recognise the serious challenges facing the prison system, which is why the justice secretary announced in Parliament emergency proposals to tackle prison overcrowding, with stringent safeguards to protect public safety.

“Our paramount concern is to ensure that those who work and live in prisons are kept safe, so immediate action is now necessary.”